I completed the online PWB course and pwned all machines in the lab(I have screenshots and text captures) around June 2012. I didn't attempt the exam back then and am planning in a few weeks. I was wondering whether a report of all the pwned machines(and how it was done) need to be submitted before sitting for the exam?

If you managed to own all of the machines in the lab, your well prepared for the examination. The report is sent in after the examination challenge is taken.

Version 3 of Pentesting with BackTrack has been out since March 2010 (I know, I was one of the 1st people to enroll). After going through the course and finishing up about June 2010, I heard they added more machines to the Labs. With you enrolling in June 2012, you most likely didn't notice the addition and managed to compromise all the hosts. I am quick to recommend lab time to anyone who is about to go into the Exam and hasn't been in the Labs for practice in awhile. Maybe this'll suit you if you didn't break into all the machines.

If I'm mistaken in reading that you owned all of them, I advice purchasing 15 more days of lab time and spend them studying and getting ready for what's ahead of you. Go back through all of the course material, and good luck on your OSCP attempt!

Thanks xXxKrisxXx and DragonGorge.Agreed going cold to the exam would be suicidal. I am mainly brushing up the buflo skills and going through my notes for how the boxes were pwned. End of the day it was enumeration that got me through the labs. Will attempt the exam without lab time and if i dnt get through, will take the lab for my next attempt.

H1t M0nk3y wrote:By the way, you only have to send a report about the servers you hacked in the exam. You don't have to send a report about machines you hacked in the lab... (I asked them and I didn't...)

However, if you do poorly in the exam, they do take your lab report into consideration. I know a few people who barely missed the exam mark and were still able to pass thanks to their lab report.

The few I'd heard from, who benefited from the lab report, said they had shown, through their exam report, too, that they were VERY close to getting a final box, which would've passed them, so their report details kind of 'proved' that they had the proper knowledge and just weren't able to finish things off.

That said, though, I've never actually seen one of said reports, obviously, to be able to vouch for it, or to validate what I'd been told.

~ hayabusa ~

"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved." - Sun Tzu, 'The Art of War'

I know another buddy, who's planning to start his PWB course on Sunday the 21st. Told him to watch here (don't think he's a member yet), and read up on the forums, as well as sharing his experiences from it.

~ hayabusa ~

"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved." - Sun Tzu, 'The Art of War'

The few I'd heard from, who benefited from the lab report, said they had shown, through their exam report, too, that they were VERY close to getting a final box, which would've passed them, so their report details kind of 'proved' that they had the proper knowledge and just weren't able to finish things off.

That is true. The EXAM report needs to be done properly. Like you said, if you are very close, they may give you some points for your efforts and knowledge.

However, if we talk about the STUDENT LAB report, you don't need it to pass the OSCP certification. Offensive-Security mentioned that if you fail the exam but you have give them you student lab report, you will still be able to claim 40 CPE.

The few I'd heard from, who benefited from the lab report, said they had shown, through their exam report, too, that they were VERY close to getting a final box, which would've passed them, so their report details kind of 'proved' that they had the proper knowledge and just weren't able to finish things off.

That is true. The EXAM report needs to be done properly. Like you said, if you are very close, they may give you some points for your efforts and knowledge.

However, if we talk about the STUDENT LAB report, you don't need it to pass the OSCP certification. Offensive-Security mentioned that if you fail the exam but you have give them you student lab report, you will still be able to claim 40 CPE.

I don't know how true this is, but I've seen posts on here suggesting that completing and documenting the extra mile excercises from the student lab may also be taken into consideration if you're close to passing.

Last edited by m0wgli on Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

On a related note...I've heard of a person getting a bump to passing based on their report, but have never heard of someone *failing* because of a poor report, despite having garnered enough points.

I know for a fact that they do require a report. I had an e-mail snafu when I took my exam where they sent out an message indicating that they'd not received my document, even though I had passed point-wise. Talk about scrambling! No way was I going to blow my exam due to a technical difficulty with my e-mail!